Random musings of a Northwest resident with a long-standing love affair with temperate climates. Often wandering from model railroad to philosophical and theological musings, and back.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Changing Seasons

I have not experiences such variety in weather in ages. Snow, hail and rain with blustery cold winds followed by some of the hottest weather one could expect in mid-August, followed by a return to cold, windy and rainy. I am sure that tomorrow when I head out on a MAX excursion it will be damp and miserable. Fortunately my goal is inside and will not require more than a few blocks of walking in the rain.

I went and purchased some stock cars the other day and may have made a mistake. Although I do not claim to be the best builder in the world, these cars have a problem with one of my curves; wheels popping off the track. It could be that the curve is a little tight, but if an 0-8-0 can do it, these little stock cars should be able to also.

In this picture you can see the two stock cars in front of the ore cars and behind the grey box cars. The little caboose has worked wonderfully, even if it is a bit small. The two tracks in the foreground end a bit to the left at the edge of the layout. The closest is the main line of the mother line, while the other is part of the Rose Gulch and Portland.

I also bought a little diesel switcher with sound. I know I should be more careful with my funds, but it seemed like a great deal at the time and it is pretty cool to hear it idle, speed up, ring its bell and sound its horn. I have no idea how they do it, but it does seem to have an effect on its pulling power. Put too much on it and it shuts down.

Immediately behind this little beastie is a civil war era boxcar which seems to be somewhat larger than the ones built by the Yard Crew. It needs a bit of re-work, but looks good behind any of the engines.

Both the stock cars and the diesel need to be re-painted .. just a little .. to fit in well. Maybe after they have had a makeover I will show before and after.

The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway did not last long, but left behind these two cars. They track beautifully and their wood construction is a real blessing to this layout. I am thinking of leaving them alone and letting the SP&S loan the cars to the RG&P.

The BN engine is "OK" and runs well. I think those are actually the stock cars that do not take the tight curve well. I'll have to look at my pictures more closely in the future before posting.

Jupiter wanted to say hello. This is not the brass Jupiter but a very much cheaper imitation. Like all less costly things, it runs like a less costly thing. It does pull a twelve car train very well though, especially those grey civil war box cars.

For those in the know, happy feast of the one who re-established the Province.

The pictures will have to wait on the rehab crew. Some minor and not so minor corrections and repairs will keep them in the shop for some time. The regular crew retired a while ago and may or may not agree to do the work.

The Yard Crew sent a link to a possible solution to the stock car problem. I have yet to check, but think it is very likely that the gage and condition of the trucks and track at that point may be guilty. Too wide is as bad as too tight.